by Alex Johnston
Here’s a name to get familiar with if you aren’t already: Andrea Kimi Antonelli. The 17 year old has got tongues wagging across motorsport as rumours persist of a potential step up to F1 after just six races in Formula 2. Williams and his parent team Mercedes have been touted as possible destinations for the hotshot, but just what is all the fuss about?
Antonelli made his single seater debut in 2021, racing a handful of times in Italian F4 in a bit-part campaign with PREMA, a team he’s remained with all the way through through his junior career to date.
In 2022, he’d go on to show everyone just how good he is, winning..*takes breath*…the Italian F4 title, the ADAC(German) F4 title and a gold medal at the FIA Motorsport Games for Italy before following that up with the Formula Regional Middle East Championship title and Formula Regional European Championship title in 2023. During this period, he took part in 80 races, winning 33 and taking podiums in 51 - an incredible conversion rate.
📸 Antonelli crosses the line to become FRECA champion in 2023.
For 2024, he stepped up to F2 with PREMA, next to now one time Ferrari F1 driver, Ollie Bearman. In making this move, Antonelli ‘skipped’ doing F3 and raised a few eyebrows in doing so.
📸 Antonelli’s current F2 teammate - Ollie Bearman - has already raced in F1.
He’s tested F1 machinery already with Mercedes with KNOWN outings at the Red Bull Ring and Imola where he is rumoured to have impressed the team with how quickly he can adapt to the machinery given to him.
📸 Antonelli at the Red Bull Ring in the Mercedes car.
Current rumours suggest he’ll replace Logan Sargeant at Williams during this season, but at 17 years old he’ll require special dispensation if he’s to race in F1 before he turns 18 at the tail end of August. It’s been confirmed his super license has been requested but the team requesting has not been specified.
To quote Williams team principal James Vowles: “he(Antonelli) was in an F4 car, 20 months ago, that’s where he’s at”.
Buuut…here’s a few examples of drivers who raced in F1 with less races than Antonelli has started in lower formula: Fernando Alonso(24 races), Kimi Raikkonen(23 races), Max Verstappen(47 races). Not bad company.
Senna, Schumacher, Hamilton, Verstappen…Antonelli? Could we be on the verge of seeing the next generational talent in F1? All eyes on Antonelli.
📸 Fingers crossed for an F1 chance?
📸 Image credits: Mercedes AMG F1, PREMA Racing, Formula Regional European Championship.
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